This Weekend

1. BEING NEGATIVE-FREE
 I spent Friday night with Carsten (my boyfriend) and took this picture of the coffee mugs in his room:

I'm excited to be negative-free! Are you? Also, the IMAGINE mug is one I got for him :-)

2. LIVE MUSIC
I'm working at the Des Moines Symphony Academy this semester, and one of the perks is getting to go to free shows. Of course this also requires weekend work, but it's been pretty fun so far. This weekend I got to see Ariel Alexander, a jazz saxophonist and really cool person, play a show with local kids and professionals. It was wonderful and made me miss playing jazz, and remember why I love it so much. I tried to get some pictures from the show, but it was pretty dark so I couldn't get anything to come out. Here's the best I could do:

But it was really cool. I always love live music of [almost] any kind, but jazz has such a different feeling than so many other kinds of music. Their set list was not in fact set at all. They just played songs. Jazz standards are the same all over so Ariel can come from California, rehears with some guys from Iowa for a couple hours, and then play an outstanding show. If you ever have a chance to go to a real jazz concert I would say GO. Watch how the musicians watch each other, listen to how they listen to each other. It's a great experience for a music lover.

3. THE HUMAN CONNECTION
Last summer I worked as a camp counselor/resident advisor for a summer camp for gifted students. One of the camps was the China Scholars Program, or CSP. This program hosts several students from China for two weeks, and during that time they take classes, have social time, and interact with American students. This takes place during the summer before their senior year. Of the 20 or so kids who come, a handful are selected (based tests they take) to attend The University of Iowa for their freshman year of college.

I actually was not a couselor for this camp, as there was another camp going on at the same time. But I did get to talk with some of them and get to know a few. The girl I talked to the most (such a sweet person!) was Gloria (they all got to pick English names). I got this e-mail from her this morning:

Subject: I am so happy that I fianlly have your e-mail!

Hi Hannah,

I am really very happy that I finally have your e-mail!  I am Gloria, a member of CSP last summer. Do you remember? I try to contact you long ago. But I forgot to ask your e-mail when I was in America and I also forgot your family name. (I only know Hannah! Sorry!) So it is really hard for me to get your e-mail address. But luckly yesterday I found a papper and your name was on it. So I ask Jon to tell me your e-mail! He is really a nice guy!

       OK, actually I want to tell you a good news that I will study in University of Iowa this September! So I can meet you then and I also want to be your friend! And I can still remember that you said you loved my shoes and I promised you to bring a pair from China. So could you tell me your size? Thank you!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Love from Gloria

SO MUCH CUTE!!!!!! 

This absolutely made my day. It's this kind of thing that makes me LOVE this summer job. I don't even know what to say besides this is so precious and happy!